Rare brass oval reliquary containing relic of Venerable saint Ane ( La V. Ana )

Rare brass oval reliquary containing relic of Venerable saint Ane ( La V. Ana )

Spain late  1800s

Size: 3 cm L x 2.5 cm W x 1 cm H

Venerable Anne of Jesus entered eternal life exactly 400 years ago this past Thursday on March 4, 1621. While Ven. Anne is not among the most celebrated of the Discalced Carmelite saints, she was an important collaborator of St. Teresa and among her most devoted daughters entrusted with the care of the foundress's fledgling Order. Therefore, along with St. Teresa herself, Anne of Jesus is indeed one of the great foundational pillars of the Discalced Carmelite Order.

Born Ana de Lobera in 1545, she belonged to an upper-middle-class family. Known from an early age for her virtue and beauty, she earned the nickname “queen of women” by her suitors and was considered an excellent match for marriage. However, through Anne’s Jesuit confessor, who was acquainted with St. Teresa, she learned of the Discalced Carmelite nuns and realized that her vocation lay in Carmel. She entered the Discalced Carmelites in Ávila in 1570 and was quickly chosen by Teresa to be her companion and co-worker in the difficult task of making new foundations. In fact, Teresa had Anne share her living accommodations on several occasions, as Teresa valued her spirit and judgment. In 1574, Teresa named Anne of Jesus as prioress of her new foundation in Beas. It was here, in 1579, that Anne would meet St. John of the Cross, who became her great friend and confidant (it was for Anne of Jesus that John of the Cross dedicated the commentary to his poem, The Spiritual Canticle).